


Smoldering

by eternalglitch



Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018)
Genre: A short little addition to the AU, Angst, Emotional Manipulation, Fantasy AU, Gen, I wasn't intending on writing this but HERE WE ARE, Royalty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:14:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25925713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eternalglitch/pseuds/eternalglitch
Summary: Part of the Fantasy AU where the brothers must come together to save the Hidden Kingdom.Big Mama, now interested in Donnie for his magical abilities, has taken him back by force. Leo comes home to the castle to save his brother, but is met with an old situation once more...
Relationships: Leonardo & Big Mama
Comments: 4
Kudos: 104
Collections: The Messenger The Hunter The Prince and The Thief





	Smoldering

**Author's Note:**

> Leo has a pet pigeon called Paloma, everyone is magic, this is all part of a larger au series that I would read up on haha. 
> 
> I SWORE I WOULD STAY OUT OF IT BUT I WAS NAIVE. 
> 
> I recommend at least reading Beauty by CharmyWizard before proceeding, although this takes place far down the plot line.

The door swung open with a low, rumbling creak.

It was a bad sign. Someone not raised in this castle would assume it was a sign that, for once, the matriarch was not dotting her i's and crossing her t's, and had forgotten to oil the hinges. But no, definitely not, not _her._ This was a warning, a bell around Leo's neck that gave away his position– and there, right on cue, like a stage's red curtains sweeping back to show the star actor, stood Big Mama herself. 

"Ah, there you are! Splendiferous, the ball is starting soon, and you _know_ that I expect my lovely, pristine prince to always be in tip top shape."

Leo took a deep breath. Swallowed. He's suddenly, horrifyingly, aware of his worn travel clothes, his absolute lack of poise. This was a battlefield, and he was not wearing armor.

Paloma, still settled on his shoulder, bobbed her neck slightly, turning her head to examine Big Mama as the woman approached. She hunkered down, closer to Leo's neck, a soft _coo_ echoing into the space.

"Where is Donnie?" Leo managed to ask, plastering on a poker face with a slight twitch of his mouth. That was not right. It was supposed to be easy, effortless, and yet after even what seemed like a comparatively short time around Mikey and Raph and even Donnie, he could tell how far he had slipped.

Big Mama stopped a few feet away, tilting her head to the side. "Donnie?" she repeated, smiling. "Oh yes, I have wondrous news about that–" her eyes raked up and down Leo, and the turtle yokai could feel himself shrink away from her as her lips tightened and her eyes flashed. "As soon as we burn those clothes and scrub all of this filth from you. If we hurry, you might yet make it only fashionably late." She wrinkled her nose at Paloma. "Not to mention we need to get rid of this _infestation_ you seem to have gotten."

She reached out to grab him, Leo's eyes widening as his stomach lurched. Something was going on here. Something wasn't right, and he couldn't– he didn't want– but she knew where Donnie was, and he had promised, he couldn't leave without him–

Paloma suddenly fluttered her wings and launched herself straight at Big Mama, beating her wings against her face. Leo's hand reached out, as if he could stop her, but it was too late.

"Agh! This vile _vermin,_ " Big Mama hissed. She stretched a hand out and Leo knew, _knew_ what was coming next, _dark purple wings being swallowed up by embers,_ and panicked, eyes flickering with magic subtle enough that he hoped against hope that she didn't notice.

There was a blaze of fire, a hint of a shape vanishing in the heat of flames, a feather drifting down onto the floor as it smoldered.

Leo's expression didn't change.

"Ugh," Big Mama sneered, dusting herself off slightly. "Abhorrent. Now, my prince. You aren't going to make things _difficult_ , are you?"

"No, Mummy," Leo found himself saying, eyes locked onto that single, smoldering feather. He thought of the warm glow of healing magic, of the joy of slowly seeing Paloma open up to him. Of Mikey and Raph and Donnie telling him it was okay to be scared.

He raised his head and smiled. "Now, what were you saying about getting ready for the ball?"

And he followed her, playing the part same as always... no one but him noticing as the feather left on the ground vanished in a small puff of blue mist and the pigeon, cloaked to all but his eyes, took roost on the chandelier above.


End file.
